translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: ISA

label: NET translator note

text: Or “islands” (KJV, NIV, CEV); TEV “distant lands”; NLT “lands beyond the sea.”


text: The Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּט ( mishpat ) could be translated “judgment,” but here it seems to refer to the dispute or debate between the Lord and the nations.


text: The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis.


text: Heb “[in] righteousness called him to his foot.”


text: Heb “he [the Lord] places before him [Cyrus] nations.”


text: has יוֹרִד ( yorid ), which appears to be a Hiphil form from יָרַד ( yarad , “go down”). Others suggest reading יָרֹד ( yarod ), a Qal form from רָדַד ( radad , “beat down”).


text: Heb “[in] peace”; KJV, ASV “safely”; NASB “in safety”; NIV “unscathed.”


text: Heb “a way with his feet he does not come [or “enter”].” One could translate, “by a way he was not [previously] entering with his feet.” This would mean that he is advancing into new territory and expanding his conquests. The present translation assumes this is a hyperbolic description to his speedy advance. He moves so quickly he does not enter the way with his feet, i.e., his feet don’t even touch the ground. See C. R. North, Second Isaiah , 94.


text: Heb “Who acts and accomplishes?”; NASB “Who has performed and accomplished it.”


text: The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).


text: Heb “I, the Lord, [am with] the first, and with the last ones I [am] he.”


text: Or “islands” (NIV, CEV); NCV “faraway places”; NLT “lands beyond the sea.”


text: Heb “the ends of the earth,” but this is a merism, where the earth’s extremities stand for its entirety, i.e., the extremities and everything in between them.


text: Heb “each his neighbor helps”; NCV “The workers help each other.”


text: The verb “encourages” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).


text: Heb “saying of the welding, ‘It is good.’”


text: Or perhaps, “covenantal partner” (see 1 Kgs 5:15 HT [ 5:1 ET]; 2 Chr 20:7 ).


text: Heb “whom I have taken hold of [i.e., to lead back].”


text: According to BDB (1043 s.v. שָׁעָה ), the verb תִּשְׁתָּע ( tishta ’) in the second line of the poetic couplet is a Hitpael form from the root שָׁעָה ( sha ’ ah , “gaze,” with metathesis of the stem prefix and the first root letter). Taking the Hitpael as iterative, one may then translate “do not anxiously look about.” However, the alleged Hitpael form of שָׁעָה ( sha ’ ah ) only occurs here and in verse 23 . HALOT 1671 s.v. שׁתע proposes that the verb is instead a Qal form from the root שׁתע (“fear”) which is attested in cognate Semitic languages, including Ugaritic (discovered after the publishing of BDB), suggests the existence of this root. The poetic structure of v. 10 also supports the proposal, for the form in question is in synonymous parallelism to יָרֵא ( yare ’, “fear”).


text: The “right hand” is a symbol of the Lord’s power to deliver ( Exod 15:6, 12 ) and protect ( Ps 63:9 HT [ 63:8 ET]). Here צֶדֶק ( tsedeq ) has its well-attested nuance of “vindicated righteousness,” i.e., “victory, deliverance” (see 45:8; 51:5 , and BDB 841-42 s.v.).


text: Heb “the men of your strife”; NASB “those who contend with you.”


text: Heb “like nothing”; NAB “come to nought.”


text: Heb “the men of your struggle”; NASB “those who quarrel with you.”


text: Heb “the men of your battle”; NAB “who do battle with you.”


text: Heb “O worm Jacob” (NAB, NIV). The worm metaphor suggests that Jacob is insignificant and despised.


text: On the basis of the parallelism (note “worm”) and an alleged Akkadian cognate, some read “louse” or “weevil.” Cf. NAB “O maggot Israel”; NRSV “you insect Israel.”


text: Heb “your kinsman redeemer.” A גָּאַל ( ga ’ al , “kinsman redeemer”) was a protector of the extended family’s interests.


text: Heb “into” (so NIV); ASV “have made thee to be.”


text: Heb “owner of two-mouths,” i.e., double-edged.


text: Heb “will answer them” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).


text: The words “I will do this” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Hebrew text has here simply, “in order that.”


text: Heb “they”; NAB, NRSV “that all may see”; CEV, NLT “Everyone will see.”


text: Heb “hand” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).


text: Or “created it” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “has made it happen.”


text: Heb “strong [words],” see HALOT 870 s.v. * עֲצֻמוֹת .


text: Heb “As for the former things, tell us what they are!”


text: Heb “so we might set [them to] our heart.”


text: Heb “and might know their outcome.”


text: Heb “Declare the coming things, with respect to the end.”


label: NET textual note

text: The translation assumes the Qere ( וְנִרְאֶה [ vÿnir ’ eh ], from יָרֵא [ yare ’], “be afraid”). tn Heb “so we might be frightened and afraid together.” On the meaning of the verb שָׁתָע ( shata ’), see the note at v. 10 .


text: Heb “an object of disgust [is he who] chooses you.”


text: Heb “[one] from the rising of the sun [who] calls in my name.”


text: The Hebrew text has וְיָבֹא ( vÿyavo ’, “and he comes”), but this is likely a corruption of an original וַיָּבָס ( vayyavas ), from בּוּס ( bus , “step on”).


text: The words “who announced it” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The interrogative particle and verb are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).


text: The Hebrew text reads simply, “First to Zion, ‘Look here they are!’” The words “I decreed” are supplied in the translation for clarification.


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: has אין (“nothing”), which forms a better parallel with אֶפֶס (’ efes , “nothing”) in the next line. See also 40:17 and 41:12 .


text: Heb “their statues are wind and nothing”; NASB “wind and emptiness”; NIV “wind and confusion.”